Our very own Anna Pirkl, M.A., MFT, ATR, LAADAC partnered with South Bay Families Connected to produce this short video to support parents in knowing how to support their kids in building compassion. Anna talks about specific ways to do this with your child, in your home and in your community. South Bay Families...
Feedback: Take it or Leave it? Here’s a Guide.
Everybody loves to share their thoughts on what and how you are doing. How are you supposed to filter through all that feedback? There are two ends of the spectrum here. There is the end of the spectrum where you trust what other people say about you or what you should do over trusting your own...
Supporting Your Child Through Worry and Anxiety
Our very own Anna Pirkl, M.A., MFT, ATR, LAADAC partnered with South Bay Families Connected to produce this short video to support parents in knowing how to support their kids through moments of worry or anxiety. South Bay Families Connected is an incredible online resource for parents, children and teens as well as an...
What If You Are TOO Accountable?
It’s a thing: being too accountable. The concept of being responsible for your actions is a positive and empowering message communicated by good parents, respectable organizations, teachers, mental health professionals, leaders with integrity and many others. And it should be. It is an important skill: to know how to be accountable. Knowing how to...
Not Sure What Your Boundaries Are? Anger and Guilt Will Make Them Clear.
Anger and guilt are similar in the sense that they experientially disclose true boundaries and values. Not just our intellectual constructs of them. That’s the beauty of emotions, they bypass what we “think” or “expect”. To be fair, that can also be the challenge of them. They can show up without any agreement from our thoughts. And,...
Get the Support You Deserve: Check Your Shame at the Door
Are you feeling like the issues you want help for are on the social black list? Let’s talk about how to work around shame and so you can get help no matter how bad you think it is. Imagine saying the following statement out loud when you walk into your first therapy appointment: “Ok,...
Did You Know Anxiety is Not an Emotion Either?
It’s a state. Like stress. Or depression. Anxiety, stress and depression are usually states that wrap around a cluster of emotions, thoughts or beliefs. So what is anxiety? Anxiety is usually an activating state that comes with being over aroused because there are uncomfortable emotions built up. They aren’t getting the chance to process...
Did You Know That Shame Is Not An Emotion?
Shame is not exactly a feeling. Shame is an experience human beings have—like depression or anxiety. It is also often a numbing agent. This is not a conscious process. You don’t think to yourself: “Oh, I will just feel ashamed in order to numb myself.” If you’ve experienced shame, which you probably have, you...
Disgust: The Emotional System’s Eject Button
The physical sensation of disgust, like many unpleasant emotions, can distract from the feeling’s true message because it is not enjoyable to experience. It is, by nature, repellant. The fact is, disgust can be essential to emotional survival and well being, if we are discerning and open to it. Before we start, let’s quickly...
Joy? Who Has Time For That? Here’s One Reason to Pay Attention to it.
Joy. Yes, that feeling you want, that everybody wants, but you never want to have to think about it. Let me be honest. When I read headlines that mention happiness or joy, I’m like “sure, but I have really important things to do like help people and run a business. That’s sweet that other...